Cervical cancer, which is caused by sexually-acquired persistent infection with high risk human papillomavirus (HPV), continues to be a public health problem in the world, it being the second most common type of cancer among women. Nearly 87% of cervical cancer deaths occur in women living in developing countries, and China, because of its large population, carries a heavy burden of cervical cancer. Since the 1990s, there has been an increasing incidence of and mortality from cervical cancer in China, which currently accounts for 12% of new cases of cervical cancer in the world. Vaccinating girls before sexual debut and screening women for precancerous lesions can prevent cervical cancer. However, owing to the current high cost of HPV vaccinations, this is not an affordable or available option for many developing and low-income countries, including China. Moreover, the HPV vaccination is only effective for girls and young women before exposure to infection and only protects against HPV types responsible for about 70% of cervical cancer. Therefore, screening women for precancerous lesions to prevent cervical cancer remains the most important and effective strategy in less developed regions.